Other States - Bihar   

Uma plays down ideological differences with JD(U)

`Various parties, often having conflicting ideologies, comprised the NDA'

PATNA: Firebrand BJP leader Uma Bharti on Tuesday downplayed the ideological differences with its ally JD(U) saying that this would not come in the way of NDA for providing a development-oriented government in Bihar which is committed to rooting out crime and corruption from the State.

"We may have ideological differences with JD(U). Various parties, often having conflicting ideologies, comprised the NDA which, under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, gave a stable government to the country," Ms. Bharti told reporters before launching BJP's election campaign in Bihar.

"People with varying ideologies like Omar Abdullah and Mamata Bannerjee were part of the NDA government which was bound by a Common Minimum Programme," she said.

Asserting that ideological differences would not come in the way of NDA providing a "development-oriented government committed to uprooting crime and corruption" headed by JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, Ms. Bharti said NDA's Common Minimum Programme for Bihar will be announced shortly.

Ms. Bharti was responding to reporters' queries about conflicting views expressed by JD(U) and BJP on the question of job reservation for Dalit Muslim and Christian converts.

On differences over seat-sharing which delayed the release of candidate list of the two parties, the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister said, "even in M.P. where BJP was fighting the polls alone, there were differences over candidates."

"If minor irritants that have now been sorted out between the two parties were not witnessed, people would have thought BJP and JD(U) as not being vibrant parties," she said.

Accusing RJD president Lalu Prasad and former State Chief Minister Rabri Devi of ruining Bihar, Ms. Bharti said, "here is abject penury amidst opulence. Law and order is at the lowest ebb and there is practically no development.''

She said it was the duty of all, including the media, to contribute their mite to ensure the defeat of the RJD-led alliance.

She also attacked the Congress for propping up the erstwhile RJD government saying, "all those who support the Lalu-Rabri raj cannot escape responsibility for bringing ruin to Bihar."

Launching a vitriolic assault on Governor Buta Singh, she charged him with having lowered the dignity of the high office he held.

"`He misused the powers vested in his office to get the assembly dissolved and his manner of speech is that of a politician," Ms. Bharti said demanding Buta's immediate recall.

Ms. Bharti praised NDA's chief ministerial candidate Nitish Kumar as a leader capable of delivering and said that together with State BJP chief Sushil Kumar Modi, who was his comrade-in-arms during Jayaprakash Narayan-led movement, he could get rid the state of "bhay, bhookh aur bhrashtachar" (fear, hunger and corruption). -- PTI

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Uma plays down ideological differences with JD(U)
JD(U) for reservation to Dalit Muslims

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu